How long can you have unemployment benefits in Washington state?

Thanks! So it's not automatically 26 weeks? What determines if you get less than that?

It's based on your earnings during the base period - essentially how much you worked and earned in the year before filing. If you worked consistently for 2 years like you mentioned, you should qualify for the full 26 weeks.

Yeah extended benefits are rare. I was on unemployment in 2020 and got way more weeks because of the pandemic programs, but those are long gone.

Good to know, thanks. So 26 weeks is the max I should plan for.

How many job contacts do I need to make? I haven't started looking yet since I just filed.

It's typically 3 job search activities per week, but check your specific requirements in your eServices account. They'll tell you exactly what you need to do.

And keep good records! They can audit your job search activities at any time.

Interesting, I'll check that out. The phone lines seem impossible to get through to.

I've heard of Claimyr but haven't tried it yet. Does it actually work?

Worked for me! Got through to an agent in under 30 minutes when I'd been trying for weeks on my own.

Hopefully I won't need to worry about that, but good to know those options exist.

Those programs are much harder to qualify for and pay way less than unemployment.

Thanks for the confirmation from someone with experience!

Same here, always 26 weeks. Sometimes less if you didn't work enough in your base period.

That's really helpful to know. So the clock starts ticking from when I first filed, not when I start receiving benefits?

Exactly. Your benefit year starts from your initial claim date, regardless of when you actually start receiving payments.

This is something a lot of people don't realize and it can affect your options if you get laid off again.

That doesn't apply to me since I was permanently laid off, but good info for others reading this.

Yeah standby is nice because no job search required, but you still only get 26 weeks max.

Good point, I was seeing some conflicting info online that might have been from the pandemic era.

Yeah lots of outdated info still floating around from 2020-2021 when there were all those extra programs.

That's scary to think about. Hopefully my claim goes through smoothly.

Most claims do go through fine, but it's worth knowing that time doesn't stop if there are issues.

This is another reason why services like Claimyr can be helpful - getting through to resolve issues quickly before they drag on.

That's good to hear. I'm just hoping it's enough to cover my basic expenses while I job hunt.

The maximum weekly benefit in Washington is currently $999, but most people get less depending on their earnings history.

I didn't know that was allowed. How does that work exactly?

You can earn up to a certain amount per week (varies by your benefit amount) and still get partial unemployment. You just report the earnings on your weekly claim.

Just make sure to report ALL earnings, even small amounts. Not reporting can get you in trouble for overpayment.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info. This gives me a much clearer picture of what to expect.

Good luck with your job search! Hopefully you won't need the full 26 weeks.

Agreed, and remember that Claimyr service if you need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD. Sometimes having a real conversation helps clarify things.